EFHSS Questions and Answers - Question Q00049

Hi

I am a Team Leader for Quality and Training in the "Sterile Production Centre" at Wellington Hospital.

Can anyone help me with "standards and procedures" for the decontamination and cleaning of theatre instrument trolleys.

At the present all trolleys come to our department with the drapes and dirty instruments on. We are currently washing, hosing then drying.

Regards
Judy Hatton

Dear Judy,

"Standards and Procedures" connected with transportation of used Materials to Central Supply Dep. are e.g.

• Devise should be cleaned of gross debris at the point of use. Textiles drapes should be placed in laundry bags and returned to the laundry service (not CSD), paper drapes discarded at the point of use.
• Contaminated (all used) items should be contained during transport from the point of use to the decontaminated area. Bins with lids, enclosed or covered carts, closed sterilization containers, may be used alone or in combination to transport contaminated items.
• Carts and other mobile equipment must be cleaned either in an automatic cart washer or by hand prior to reuse for sterile supplies of returning to the OR or patient care units.

References:

• "Australian Standards"; Code of practice for cleaning, disinfecting and sterilizing reusable medical and surgical instruments and equipment, and maintenance of associated environments in health care facilities
  Published by Standards Australia,
  Sale: 1 The Crescent, Homebush, NSW. Tel. (02) 746 4600
• Nat. Standards and Recommended Practices for Sterilization
  published by the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation
  3330 Washington Boulevard, Arlington, Virginia 22201, USA

Kind regards
Josy Holdener